I went solo-camping with the kids for a week, and figured I would stock up on books before I left, so I borrowed this one from Kate. It's a good thing that I didn't get around to it at the campground as my poor children would have been sadly neglected.Don't been misled by the hum-drum first chapters that describe everyday life for a busy career woman in her early 50's who feels like she is loosing touch with her husband and cannot seem to find a common ground with her youngest daughter.
Alice is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease and her life is changed forever. The author describes her internal struggles in a way that is convincing, real and passionate. I simply could not tear myself away - there is still Alice in there! This will change your thinking about dementia forever. A definite MUST READ!
I also borrowed this explosive book from Kate...remind me to raid her bookshelf more often :-)
This powerful and timeless book explores the relationship between Bhima (a elderly servant who lives in the slums with her orphaned granddaughter) and Sera (a middle-class widow who lives with her son-in-law and expectant daughter). This book is so richly textured that you walk away feeling as if you have visited Bombay in person. On the "caution" side: it deals with several really hard issues (poverty, abortion, rape, spousal physical abuse, and the care of the elderly) in a unflinching manner, not sparing the reading any agony. Not for the weak of stomach... READ WITH CAUTION.
Wow - these do look like great reads. Maybe these are options for book club at some point. As an occupational therapist who works solely with individuals with dementia, this sounds like a "must read" for me. I'll have to see if I can borrow it, too.
ReplyDelete"Still Alice" sounds like a great read ... Thanks, Tessa for your insight (and thanks to Kate for loaning it to her). As someone who works with individuals with dementia and their family members, this would be an eye-opening read for me. You can only "talk" to people about these things to a certain degree, and then you can't begin to understand the nuances of it until you've experienced it, too. I'm hoping this will give me "an insider's view" ...
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked the books, Tessa! Sherrie - feel free to borrow the book from Tessa if you like.
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